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Politics
‘Grand Budapest’ Turns to Grand Chaos – QUICK TAKE
30 January 2025
Longtime Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka secured his seventh term in office after a presidential election on 26 January, which was widely condemned as fraudulent. Official results claimed he won 87.6% of the vote, but opposition figures and Western governments rejected the legitimacy of the process.
Although four opposition candidates appeared on the ballot, all were loyal to Lukashenka. Communist Party leader Sergei Syrankov openly stated that they were ‘taking part in the election with the president’s team’. Western nations, including the EU, the UK and the US, refuse to recognise Lukashenka’s government.
EU response
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the election a ‘blatant affront to democracy’, stating that Lukashenka has no legitimacy. The European Parliament adopted a resolution on 23 January rejecting the election and urging the EU to expand sanctions against Belarus. The EU also condemned the continued repression of political opponents and the lack of independent media. Only 25 MEPs voted against the resolution.
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